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| UK universities fall in world rankings amid Brexit concerns | UK universities fall in world rankings amid Brexit concerns |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| British universities have taken a tumble in the latest international rankings, as concern persists about the potential impact of Brexit on the country’s higher education sector. | British universities have taken a tumble in the latest international rankings, as concern persists about the potential impact of Brexit on the country’s higher education sector. |
| The UK’s top-ranked university, Cambridge, has fallen out of the top three for the first time since the QS World University Rankings began 12 years ago, and the vast majority of the country’s other leading institutions similarly drop down the table. | The UK’s top-ranked university, Cambridge, has fallen out of the top three for the first time since the QS World University Rankings began 12 years ago, and the vast majority of the country’s other leading institutions similarly drop down the table. |
| While the performance of many western European institutions – in France, Portugal, Germany and Italy – has declined, the most significant falls have been in the UK where universities have seen a real-terms cut to government funding for research. | |
| The surveys that informed the rankings were carried out before the UK voted in June to leave the EU. QS, a higher education thinktank, said the referendum had added to the uncertainty undermining the UK sector but did not fully explain the downward trend. | |
| Of the 48 UK institutions in the top 400, 38 have dropped down the rankings this year. Cambridge slips to fourth place, and Imperial College London drops from eighth to ninth. King’s College London (KCL) falls from 19 to 21, the London School of Economics (LSE) from 35 to 37, the University of Bristol from 37 to 41 and Warwick from 48 to 51. | Of the 48 UK institutions in the top 400, 38 have dropped down the rankings this year. Cambridge slips to fourth place, and Imperial College London drops from eighth to ninth. King’s College London (KCL) falls from 19 to 21, the London School of Economics (LSE) from 35 to 37, the University of Bristol from 37 to 41 and Warwick from 48 to 51. |
| Four UK universities remain in the top 10 in the world: Cambridge, Oxford (unchanged at 6), University College London (still at 7) and Imperial. On the up are the University of Edinburgh, climbing from 21 to 19, and Manchester University, now ranked in the top 30. | Four UK universities remain in the top 10 in the world: Cambridge, Oxford (unchanged at 6), University College London (still at 7) and Imperial. On the up are the University of Edinburgh, climbing from 21 to 19, and Manchester University, now ranked in the top 30. |
| QS said storm clouds were gathering over UK higher education. “Uncertainty over research funding, immigration rules, and the ability to hire and retain the top young talent from around the world seems to be damaging the reputation of the UK’s higher education sector,” said Ben Sowter, head of research at QS. | QS said storm clouds were gathering over UK higher education. “Uncertainty over research funding, immigration rules, and the ability to hire and retain the top young talent from around the world seems to be damaging the reputation of the UK’s higher education sector,” said Ben Sowter, head of research at QS. |
| The government’s promise to guarantee EU funding levels for research projects signed before this year’s autumn statement had helped address some of the uncertainty, but QS said more support was needed if the UK higher education sector was to retain its reputation for excellence. | The government’s promise to guarantee EU funding levels for research projects signed before this year’s autumn statement had helped address some of the uncertainty, but QS said more support was needed if the UK higher education sector was to retain its reputation for excellence. |
| Leading US universities which benefit from substantial private funding continue to dominate the rankings, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in top spot followed by Stanford University, California, in second and Harvard third. | Leading US universities which benefit from substantial private funding continue to dominate the rankings, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in top spot followed by Stanford University, California, in second and Harvard third. |
| Asian universities continue to make strong progress. Of the 74 Asian universities in the top 400, 68% have risen in the latest rankings. | Asian universities continue to make strong progress. Of the 74 Asian universities in the top 400, 68% have risen in the latest rankings. |
| Almost three-quarters of British universities in the top 400 have seen a drop in both academic reputation and employer reputation this year, and 58% have seen a fall in the number of foreign academics. | Almost three-quarters of British universities in the top 400 have seen a drop in both academic reputation and employer reputation this year, and 58% have seen a fall in the number of foreign academics. |
| Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said the drop in the rankings was worrying for British universities. Echoing QS, he blamed funding and the perception that the UK was a little less open to the rest of the world than it had been in the past. | Nick Hillman, director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, said the drop in the rankings was worrying for British universities. Echoing QS, he blamed funding and the perception that the UK was a little less open to the rest of the world than it had been in the past. |
| “We don’t know where Brexit is going to take us. We do know we have got a prime minister who for all her strengths looks like she is going to continue to have no particular soft spot for universities,” he said. | “We don’t know where Brexit is going to take us. We do know we have got a prime minister who for all her strengths looks like she is going to continue to have no particular soft spot for universities,” he said. |
| London continues to fare well, however, with more top 40 institutions than any other city in the world. London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, said: “Boasting more of the globe’s top universities and welcoming the most international students, London is the higher education capital of the world and I want to make sure it stays that way.” | |
| The QS World University Rankings are based on four categories: research, teaching, employability and internationalisation. The methodology consists of six indicators: academic reputation (40%), employer reputation (10%), faculty student ratio (20%), citations per faculty (20%), international students (5%), and international faculty (5%). | The QS World University Rankings are based on four categories: research, teaching, employability and internationalisation. The methodology consists of six indicators: academic reputation (40%), employer reputation (10%), faculty student ratio (20%), citations per faculty (20%), international students (5%), and international faculty (5%). |